Acer circinatum

Vine Maple

At a Glance: Tall, erect, multi-trunked shrub or small tree with sprawling branches.

Height: 13-26 feet (4-8 meters)Growth Form: Tree or shrub.Stems: Bark is initially smooth and bright green, eventually turning brown with age.Leaves: Leaves are palmate (arranged like fingers on the palm of a hand) with seven to nine lobes; leaf surfaces are hairy on upper and lower sides and along veins; margins are toothed. Size: 5-12 cm (2-5 in) across. Leaves are green in spring; in early fall they turn orange-red or red in full sun or golden in the shade. Additionally, leaves are oppositely arranged on branches.Flowers: Flowers grow in small loose clusters at the end of shoots. Flower sepals are purple and red, hairy and spreading; petals are creamy white with purple/red highlights. Flower size: 6-9 mm across.Flowering Period: May, June.Fruits: The fruit is a two-seeded winged fruit called a samara. The wings of the samara point away from each other on the same horizontal plane. Size: 2-4 cm (0.8-2 in) long; color: fruits are initially green then later turn a reddish-brown.

Birds: Birds that eat the seeds include grosbeaks, woodpeckers, nuthatches, finches, quail, and grouse. Insects: A larvae plant for the brown tissue moth and the Polyphemus moth. A good nectar source for bees. Mammals: Deer, mountain beavers, and other beavers eat the twigs and wood.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

Material Uses: Vine maple wood is very dense and hard. It was used by northwest native groups to build snowshoe frames, drum hoops, and a variety of other small implements such as spoons and dishes. The Quinault peoples used the hard wood to make baskets. The Quinault, Chehalis, Quileute, and Lummi used the wood to construct dipnet fish traps. The Quinault also used the wood to hold down the roof planks on houses. The Skagit used the wood to make babies cradles and salmon tongs. Many groups used the wood for fire fuel. The Quinault used the burnt charcoal and mixed it with oil to make black paint. The Suquamish and Cowichan used the wood to make knitting needles. The Suquamish and Katzie also sometimes used the wood to make bows from the straighter branches.

Suggested References

Cooke, S.S. A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwetern Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society and Washington Native Plant Society. Page 19.